Retrieve:The BWII is able to take
in 28 inches of line per crank, which is considerably more than the previous
generation reel which sported a slower 5:2.1 ratio. There was a time when 6:3.1
was considered blazing fast, but with new “burner” class reels popping up from
other manufacturers like Shimano and Quantum, 6:3.1 is becoming more and more
mainstream. During my tests I found the reel reasonably good at towing plastics
and jigs, and excellent for retrieving jerkbaits and deep diving cranks. At
first our test reel felt very slick when retrieved, as if the reel is almost
excessively lubricated. After a few days the reel started to feel more accurate,
and more refined.

The
oversized clutch bar is easy to engage

The reel feels more
powerful than the SOL or Fuego, and is a better choice when targeting larger
species like Stripers and Reds. During the test I hooked into a six pound
largemouth on a Norman DLN while deep cranking. Bringing the fish up was quick
and easy with the BWII’s self-assured retrieve. Since I was already used to
fishing the other Advantage reels the BWII felt right at home. It did feel a tad
smoother than the standard Advantage, but definitely a couple levels below the
HST model.

A wide body
makes it effortless to feather the spool

Drag:
When it
comes to drags Daiwa’s latest generation of reels offer an excellent balance of
stopping power and elegance. Some companies boast extreme counter pressure, but
we find it is usually at the expense of refinement. While it is true that some
competing reels deal out higher numbers the drag is choppy under pressure, so
much so that the jerking is enough to drop slack line and potentially lose fish.
This isn’t the case with the BWII which exhibited 9.1lbs of smooth drag counter
pressure in our lab tests, which is more than enough for largemouth bass and
most stripers.

Like the
other Advantage reels some porting is done on the front of the reel fro
weight reduction. This reel weighs exactly the same as the HST

The drag
star is composite like the Advantage and Coastal...only if it was aluminum
and anodized orange, that would be sweet

The handle
is also the stamped versus forged handlel

Unscrew the
locking knob and the sideplate is free to rotate off the palming side of the
reel

Rotate down
and the plate comes off to expose the spool

A look
inside reveals the bright orange spool

Ergonomics: The previous generation Black Widow was a mainstream-value reel. Priced
aggressively the prior reel featured utilitarian ergonomics, with an emphasis on
function over form. The original was easy to fish, but not all that comfortable
to palm, since the reel featured more sharp angles and an upright stance when
mounted on most reel seats. In stark comparison the low sitting Black Widow II
has the same stealthy feel as the other Advantage reels, and while it does not
completely vanish under your palm, like the TD Sol, it is comfortable to palm
all day. With smooth sloping angles and a low profile the BWII remains
conformable even when ripping jerkbaits.